1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric soldering iron and in particular to a soldering iron having a vibrating bit separated from the heating element.
2. Brief Description of the Background of the Invention Including Prior Art
All electric soldering irons and soldering equipment made so far show considerable losses in heating energy due to the unimpeded heat radiation from the soldering bits into the ambient, so that only part of the heating energy is utilized and the heat sensitive components located near the soldering bits may be damaged. Furthermore, the solder moves up to the part with greater heat as the soldering bit is heated up, thus causing erosions which are destructive to the bit. The solder drops developed at these points by the accumulation of the solder will often flood the joints by suddenly flowing off, thus leading to trouble, or it will become necessary to draw the solder off. The cooling of the protective casing is mostly inadequate and when handling the tool without the care required there may be danger of thermal burns or of damage to other objects. In the electric soldering irons and soldering equipment manufactured so far which have soldering bits featuring high or low-frequency oscillations, the heating element will also vibrate at the same time due to its fastening to the vibrator; and the heater winding, which is sensitive to vibration when glowing, will become interrupted within a short period of time, due to constant vibrations. Also the axial arrangement of the exciting coil of the vibrator near the hot protective casing and its firm connection with the magnet will cause the immediate transfer of heat to the exciting coil and may thus become destructive of the winding.
When the exciting coil of the vibrator is subject to an alternating current, a magnetic alternating field is generated, which causes the magnetically soft iron parts of the vibrator to vibrate.
The stationary lamp bulb built into the grip casing manufactured so far for illumination of the joint being soldered causes the circle of light to light beyond the joint when using soldering bits which become shorter by wear; and since there is no mask, such a bulb is merely a nuisance for the operator, because of the dazzling effect on the eye.
The control of the temperature so far practiced outside of the soldering iron by transformers or by electronic means requires plenty of room. The pulling out of the plug from the socket which becomes necessary in directly heated soldering irons when working is to be interrupted, results in delays in the work; and the fact that no signal lamp or fuse is directly arranged on the soldering iron may also lead to damage to the soldering iron or to the environment, due to continuous heating. The power supply through a cable entering the tool at the handle of axial design or at the bottom of the piston grip constitutes a disadvantage. In greater cable lengths, a constant tension caused by the weight of the cable will develop which may compensate the soldering iron's weight, thus causing an instable state and, if carelessly placed on the stand or if the cable is inadvertently touched, the soldering iron may easily drop to the ground, thus interrupting the glowing heater winding by the impact or damaging other objects. Placing the soldering iron onto a surface during working is usually troublesome, because the support fastened to the soldering irons's casing is an impediment. The stands are not stationary enough, they occupy much space and they also take heat from the soldering iron. In a stand design with the soldering bit pointing downwards, the protective casing and the handle become excessively heated by the ascending heat.